"Ten points for Gryffindor!" professor Slughorn, my new potions professor said as we heard the bell.
I smiled. My first day couldn't have been better. In each class I had that very first day, I had gotten at least twenty points for my house. That was likely to keep me in the good books of my own house, I thought.
"Ms. Evans, I would like to talk to you for a minute, if you don't mind."
I nodded as I put my things away slowly, not really paying attention. My mind wandered to what professor Slughorn wanted to speak with me about. Once everyone was out, I decided to approach his desk.
"Yes, sir?" I asked politely.
He smiled "Ms. Evans, when your file first came to Hogwarts, I was under the impression you were a normal student. You had an E at all your OWLs last year-"
"Actually, I failed History of Magic and Divination and had an Acceptable at many other subjects," I corrected "Sir." I added quickly.
He continued smiling, as if unaffected by my comment "As I was saying, you had an Exceed Expectations in almost all your OWLs, except for some cases," He added, regarding my comment, "But from what I saw in this class, you seem to be a natural in potions!"
I smiled, "I don't know if you noticed, Sir, but I had an Outstanding in my potions' OWL exam," I said. It was true; I had always been a natural at potions and charms. Somehow, they were the only subjects I was comfortable with and loved.
"Oh, you did?" he asked me surprise. I nodded, "Somehow, I must have missed it!" he said cheerfully "Anyway, that was not what I wanted to talk to you about. I have this little… club you may say. For the more gifted ones I think deserve the honour. I would be most pleased if you could come to out next meeting."
Now, I thought, how do I politely refuse? I had never been a fan of parties, especially one that looked so… especial, for lack of a better word.
"You coming then?" the man said without waiting for my answer "Good! This Friday night in my office. Now off you go!"
And he pushed me out of the classroom and closed the door behind me before I even had the time to blink. I sighed as I led my back on the door.
"You can just say you're sick," someone said "I've done that my first time and then I learned how to say 'no'."
I turned, surprised, to see Meagan there. "What are you doing here?" I asked the first thing that came to my head. Then, I blushed at what I've said. After all, if was supposed to live with the girl for the rest of the year, I should try at least to be nice, "I mean, I wasn't expecting to see you here!" I corrected myself.
She smiled "Well, I was talking to the girls as we were walking down to the Great Hall for dinner, and I was like 'she probably doesn't know her way around the castle!', so I thought that it'd be nice if I came to pick you up. The girls kept walking and I came back. Good thing I did, do you know who I found on my way down to the dungeons again? Adam Johnson. And now you're probably wondering who he is; well, he's just this super cute guy from Ravenclaw I had been trying to flirt with last year. Of course, he being older didn't help at all, but when I asked him what he was doing a while ago, I could see--"
At that, I dosed off. Alice wasn't kidding when she said Meagan would ramble the night away if we allowed her to.
"--And then he said it was good to see me as well and I was like-"
"Enough Santos," someone said. I looked thankfully to the voice only to have my eyes blazing with hate the moment I recognized the person who had spoken. Sirius Black was there "I think you've rambled enough," he said with a dazzling smile that would make my legs weaken had I not be concentrated in hating him with all my being.
"Oh… Sirius," she said. It seemed her legs did weaken. "Good to see you!"
He continued smiling that irritating but stunning smile of his, "It's a pleasure to see you Evans."
He had some nerve, that bloody idiot!! After how rude and a complete jerk he was to me on the train, he thought I'd simply forget it? Fat chance!
"For you," I answered sharply.
"Wow, wow! Calm down your horses!" he told me, the smile never leaving "What got your knickers in a twist?"
"Meagan," I said "can we go now? I'm starving."
She smiled "Sure Lily," she said "Anyway, it was good to see you Sirius. I hope we get to talk to each other more often," she said flirtatiously. And here I thought Fiona was the one who liked him!
"Hope so too," he said, stroking her face with his hand, "And you," he said, turning to me, "You'll be hearing at lot from me."
With that, he continued his way to wherever he was going before bumping into us, but not before giving us a grin that made Meagan sigh.
"Come on then, Lily," Meagan said, "And by the way, it's Meg."
I smiled, "Okay then, Meg."
We started our way to the Great hall again, Meagan, or Meg, once again launched in one more of her eternal ramblings.
(…)
Next day after lunch, Charlotte and I decided to take a walk through the grounds. After all, there was a lot of the school that we still had to know.
"You know Lily," she started, "I'm really sorry that you're in sixth year already."
I smiled at her as we sat down under a tree next to the lake and I took a book from my bag.
"Why?" I asked her.
She was trying to climb said tree when she answered me, "Because I'll only have two years with you. Besides, we don't even sleep in the same dormitory!"
I laughed "Come on, we're still in the beginning of the year!" she slipped on some branch and I got up, afraid she'd fall, "Get down here Charlotte! You may get hurt or something!"
She grinned as she looked down to me, "Now you seem like my mother. Don't fret!" she said, "I'm used to climbing trees!"
I sighed as I sat down again, with an eye always on her. I shook my head and smiled goofily, thinking she was right; I did seem like a mother.
"So," she asked once she was comfortingly sitting on the top of the tree, "have you spoken to James after yesterday morning?"
I shook my head "Not really. Whenever I saw him he was with that Black and the other two fellows, Lupin and Pettigrew," I told her "I don't want to have another row with that guy."
"Oh Lily," she said "That's stupid."
I looked at her with a smile tugging on my lips, "Is that so? And may I now why?"
"Because," she said exasperatedly, "You have to show him you're bigger than that. That you're not afraid of him or anything."
I shook my head, looking down at my book, "Every time I did that before I got problems somehow," I put my book away and looked up at her again, "I've never been good with talking to people and making friends."
I almost swore I saw her rolling her eyes as she spoke next, "Well, you went alright with your room mates and me, didn't you?"
"That's different," I told her, "You were the one who first spoke to me and so were my room mates."
"Lily, it almost seems you're the first year here," she told me.
I laughed. She was so right. Ever since the moment I had met Charlotte she had been surprising me.
For a simple first year she was incredibly clever and down to earth. She knew what to say and when to say it, and wasn't afraid of whatever could come her way.
She told me that, back in the train to Hogwarts, a guy had pulled on her pigtails and she had downright hexed him. He was probably a third year and was impressed by her performance. And so was professor Slughorn who, just as he had done to me, invited her to his club. She, like me, never had the chance to say no.
"You're quite right in there. After all, this is my first year here!"
She laughed, "That was not what I meant. Show your Gryffindor courage, for Merlin's sakes!"
I shook my head as I felt a presence from behind.
Turning, I was confronted with none other that the fellows in subject approaching me.
Black was on the front, Lupin and Pettigrew right behind him, talking about whatever. After the three, came James, who seemed he'd like to be anywhere else but there.
And to top that, after them, came what seemed to be a quarter of the Hogwarts' female population. Okay, they were cute, but no need to stalk them!, I thought.
"Look who's here all by herself!" Black said, smirking.
I looked up the tree to Charlotte to see her grasping her wand and glaring at Sirius. However, I decided not to let her presence known.
"Need something?" I asked "Because if you do, I don't think I can help you."
He laughed, making the two guys behind him and the girls laugh too. James kept looking away to the lake, seeming to me that he thought that was the most interesting thing ever.
"I was just wondering when you painted you hair," he asked me.
I raised my eyebrow "I never did."
"Really?" he asked me, in what was clearly faked surprised, "I never knew you could have bright green hair! But I guess it's to match your eyes…" he stopped "Wait, why are your eyes red? See, now the red hair would go well with that!"
I froze as I took a hand to my hair. Putting it in front of my eyes, I felt anger filling my body as I saw that I was no longer a red hair. My hair was now of a brilliant green.
Oh no, I thought, my eyes!! I quickly searched through my bag and finally found the mirror that was always there (don't ask me why). I almost screamed when I saw my eyes were indeed red. A dark red.
Everyone around me started laughing along with Black, while James just stood there like he had done all the way. I felt anger rising in me, not only against Black, but mostly against James, who was supposedly my friend and should at least try to defend me.
"Put it back to how it was!" I screamed at him, getting up.
"Put what back?" he asked bemusedly, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
I groaned, "My hair and my eyes! Put them back!" I yelled again.
He sighed, "Okay, okay, no need to get so angry."
I sighed in relief as he picked up his wand again and pointed it at me. He made a non-spoken spell and I closed my eyes, waiting to reopen them and found them once again green.
"Oops…" I heard. I quickly opened my eyes to see why he had said that, "Sorry," he told me, but he didn't seem sorry at all, "It seems I got the wrong spell!"
I stared at him bemusedly and placed my hand over my pocket to take my wand. To my surprised as I pointed him the wand, my hand was no longer white, but red, matching my new eye colour.
"What have you done?" I asked desperately.
"Sorry!" he told me again, "but, if you want my opinion, I do think those colours stay wonderful on you!"
Around him, everyone started to laugh again and I felt my head starting to spin. All the laugh was making my eyes blur and I didn't understand why. As I took my hand to my face I noticed I was crying. But I didn't want to cry.
I quickly wiped my tears and picked up my bag. I had to get out of there, run away from them, from the laughs, from the cruelty…
As I started to push through the crow, I looked back one more time, searching for Charlotte, only to lock my eyes with James' for the briefest of the seconds.
He mouthed "Sorry," but I didn't wait any longer. I didn't want to hear his sorry's anymore.
With one more look to see Charlotte coming after me, I started running to the castle.
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Author's note: oh well… Lily's not really that lucky, is she??
Onwards, thank you all so much for the 30 reviews you gave me last chapter!! I loved them all!!
NoTomorrow: James's not a bad guy… sometimes. Anyway, thanks for the review!
xxxHPxxx remember the night before Hogwarts? Yeah, that was why she forgave him. She thought what he did was a one time situation. About Lily's appearance… well, you'll hear it pretty soon. Once her hair comes back to normal. And her eyes. And her skin. ;) Anyway, thanks for the review!
Mangoes2oo5: James does like her… in a weird way. I like Charlotte too, she's an amazing kid. Thanks for the review!
Osmunda Regalis of Daybreak: yeah, that's exactly how James is. Confused. Lol. Thanks for the review!
purtyinpink71121: it doesn't matter the length of the review!! I'm fine enough with the review itself! ;)
cookiemonster93don't hate James, don't hate James, don't hate James… yeah, I hate him too. Lol. But he's a nice boy. He's just… confused.
greeneyez2: Lily has a different kind of beauty. She's not ugly, like she thinks she is. But what matters is her inner beauty, and not many can see it.
Mmm.: thanks!!! I'm glad you think so!!
bananalvr: thanks! The idea seemed good to me too because of that. A new plot to refresh a little!
Firefly119: she does try to tell Sirius off… the thing is that he won't budge that easy. Anyway, thanks for the review!
Simply infatuated: yeah, she was lucky with her roommates. Although later in the story, Fiona and Anna won't make her life so easy. Fiona because she's way too much in love with Sirius (like Meagan so kindly put it) and Anna because she is a bit closed with people she doesn't know. Anyway, I'm giving away way too much of the plot!! Thanks for the review!
Coreagurl: no, it wasn't a joke. He was actually sorry about what he had done. But, unfortunately, he's a little confused about what he should or not do. Thanks for the review!!
MiXeDuPmEsSeDbOoKs: ohhh, you know you like them!! ;)
JAMESandLILLYareCUTE: I'm not quite following what JK told us about James and Lily in her books. I'm actually diverging a lot from it. It's to refresh a little! Thanks for the review!!
Eternal-charmer: she forgave him because she liked him. Besides, what he had done for her the night before was still too alive in her mind. Ah, my exams. Well, they went fine I guess. But unfortunately, they're not over yet. I still have mats next week and English (ironic, isn't it? I think my English teacher should give me a maximum grade just because I'm writing on fanfic. Speaking about that, I should ask him about it…xP)
Silver-Trinity-Malfoy: she forgave James, and if you read the answers to the reviews above you understood why. And about her new 'friends'… well, she'll be okay with Alice and Meagan, but Fiona will make her life a bit difficult 'cause of Sirius. And Anna… well, she's a bit bitter to people she doesn't trust. Thanks for the review!!
LibraryGeek007: thanks for the review!! And exactly because I still have exams next week, I'm writing on a Saturday instead of Sunday. Tomorrow will be all about studying!!
Lexy Granger: Sirius is a jack-ass. No doubt. He just thinks too high of himself and doesn't understand when people don't! Anyway, thanks for the review!!
against.the.mainstream: actually, I hadn't thought about getting them together until you mentioned it. We'll see as the story keeps going. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!!
Chill-C: hi! I'm not sure if I've answered you already or not… I lost track of it, but I remember reading your review… so, if I have, I'm sorry for doing it again. And if I haven't, I'll answer now: Lily isn't ugly; she's the one who thinks she is because of her sister. She just has a different kind of beauty. And Sirius, well, he just pointed out that her eyebrows were weird. And when he broke off his sentence, he didn't actually mean she was ugly, because he knows she isn't. He just meant it was impossible to compare her to her sister but, being Sirius the reckless he is, it sounded like he thought she was ugly.
Jones: ah, sorry for thinking you were J (it's just as you name is Jones, well… you get my point). Anyway, I really appreciate you review!! ;)
firewalker32: thanks!!!!
Chilipeper: you have to understand she was incredibly mad with him and the rest of the marauders. I think if she had actually been sorted into Slytherin, she'd quit as fast as the wind!! Anyway, Bella, I don't know. She might appear once Lily starts having problems with the Slytherin folks. Lily's room mates aren't that bad. They are just… different and they all will show it as the story keeps going. She was mad at the rest of them (the marauders I mean) and, thanks to Charlotte, her Gryffindor courage and her red hair temper will be shown, don't worry!! Thanks for the review!!
COULK: yeah… they won't prank her roommates (because there's more to them than you think), but Sirius will effectively be a little nasty to Lily, like he starts being in this chapter. Anyway, thanks for the review!!
Estrelas: to you I know I've answered since I did it just today!! Lol, anyway, again, thanks for the review!!
Jenny: thanks for the review!! Hope you keep reading!!
Blondewivbrains: well… Lily will become less shy. Especially because of a certain first year that seems older than she really is. Lily isn't ugly, she's the one who thinks that. She just has a different kind of beauty. Thanks for the review!!
There!! I've finished answer everyone!!
And now… REVIEW people!!!
Thanks
Hannah
